Muzzleloading Questions

[Smith357]

I took my new muzzle loader (a .54 T/C Scout) to the range yesterday, it's the first time I've used a muzzle loader in 15 to 20 years and lets just say that I forgot some of the basics. All things considered it was not a bad session, all my shots were grouped on the paper, but I forgot to put a powder in the rifle twice. Doh.. The first time was not too bad as I relized my blunder before the ball made 8 inches down the barrel. The second time it was seated against the breech, and it ended my day early because I do not have a long heavy range rod....yet.

I noticed a few things that I thought I would ask.

#1 Sabots, I noticed the green colored sabots I was using turned my spit patch between shots green. Is this normal for sabots? Also should I lube a sabot, I used no lube and they were tough to load.

#2 PBRs, I also noticed my patched balls got easier to push down the last 10-12 inches of barrel, is this normal? The bore in the rifle is perfect no rust, no buldges, is the ball just deforming to the bore or are T/C bores choked?

#3 Minnie Balls, Those 460 grain .54 caliber Minni's kick like the perverbial mule and the ones I had were very hard to load after loading up three of them I wimped out. I thought that minni's were supposed to just "drop" down the bore and the skirt expanded when fired to engauge the riflings. I noticed the same loose area near the breech of the rifle I found with my PBRs.

Once I get the quirks figured out I think the Scout will be a fine Ohio deer rifle. I have just about 9 months to get it all squared away.

 

[pownal55]

i can't answer all those questions but can add a little input.
(1) i swab out the bore after each shot, wet patch followed by a dry one. makes loading easier and a shot at deer will probably be through a clean bore anyway.
(2) try powerbelt bullets, for me they are accurate and load easier than anything else.

 

[Stonecove]

+1 on the Powerbelts. Won't ever go back to sabots.
Stonecove

 

[Smith357]

I've seen the powerbelts, but they are way to expensive, they cost almost 2 dollars a shot, and how do you get your bullet puller through the copper jacket if you fail to load a powder charge?

http://www.impactguns.com/store/SS-34911.html

 

[pownal55]

it isn't really a copper jacket, more like a copper plating. i have no problem pulling them out with the screw type puller attachment that fits the end of my ramrod. unless you shoot a lot, like target shooting, they are worth the price as a hunting bullet.

 

[m1gunner]

When I want to pull a bullet, powder or not, I use 120 PSI air, a short rubber tube and a blow nozzle. Have never had it fail to pop the bullet out/ Usually point it at a towell, it will zing out fast enough to hurt or break windows.

I don't like minnies, the TC conicals shoot better in the 54 TC rifles (in the 3 different ones I have tested) than anything else I have found. But, they must be cast from PURE lead, else they are all but impossible to load.

On the bullet seeming to go easy the last few inches, my rifle does that, doesn't cause problems and accuracy is outstanding.

Look around and you can find a mould for the TC connical bullet. They are easy to cast, and cheap if you have access to pure lead.